The Media Studies Working Group
which brought you
BANG BANG, SHOOT SHOOT! and PICTURES OF A GENERATION ON HOLD
announces
B R A I N W A T C H I N G:
Intellect and Ideology in Media Culture
an International Conference
May 6-7, 2000
at Ryerson Polytechnic University, Toronto
*** visit us on the web: www.ryerson.ca/mgroup/brain.html ***
GUEST SPEAKERS
VIVIAN SOBCHACK (University of California at Los Angeles), on Jim
Carrey
STUART EWEN (Hunter College / CUNY Graduate Center), on The Public
mind
GARTH JOWETT (University of Houston), on Francis the Talking Mule
and
Other Mental Handiworks of the 1950s
MARK CRISPIN MILLER (New York University), on Evil Genius
This conference will examine representations in film, television and
popular culture of mental life and social control, specifically: images
of
"intelligence" and "stupidity" and the relation of these to broad-based
systems of cultural and state control. We are interested in papers from
across disciplines that examine in contemporary or historical context:
types of intelligence and genius, wisdom, wit, emotionalism, dullness,
opinion-formation, misinformation, hegemony, the creative imagination,
the
scientific attitude, intelligence-gathering, mystification and other
notable states of mind as related to our culture.
We are interested in the growing representation of the knowledge
industry; with particular emphasis on knowledge, thought, and creativity
as forms of capital.
We would hope to see papers on any of: FRANKENSTEIN, CLUELESS, the idiot
savant, OBLOMOV, films about filming, DUMB AND DUMBER; intelligence,
media, and social capital; PINKY AND THE BRAIN, BRAINSTORM, AMERICAN
HISTORY X; the figure of the mad professor, the dumb blond(e), the evil
genius, the brawny blockhead, etc.; FORREST GUMP, THE STUNT MAN, Homer
Simpson, OF MICE AND MEN, witty dialogue and witty situations; THE
MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE, evil scientists, intelligent aliens, THE MILLION
DOLLAR BRAIN, films and other narrative materials about psychiatry,
various versions of INVASION OF THE BODY-SNATCHERS, the teacher-student
relationship, anti-intellectualism, and the school experience; HENRY,
I.Q., QUIZ SHOW, MARS ATTACKS, DAVID AND LISA, HIGH SCHOOL, WELCOME
BACK,
KOTTER, depictions of intellectuality in relation to gender, social
class,
and race; THE X-FILES; PHENOMENON; Sherlock Holmes, RAIN MAN, the filmic
personae of Woody Allen and Jerry Lewis, Lassie, AMADEUS, Marilyn
Monroe,
THE TRUMAN SHOW . . . . . all these are possibilities among many others.
Papers might consider how intellect is made visible; what import is
borne
by pop cultural anti-intellectualism; how heroism and intellect are
related historically and/or contemporarily; the relation in popular
culture, television or film between intellect and morality; the appeal
of
popularized stupidity and goofiness, etc.
**
Proposals for either (a) individual papers or (b) preconstituted panels
should include the following: (1) a title, (2) an abstract NOT TO
EXCEED
300 WORDS, and (3) a brief one-paragraph biographical statement about
the
presenter, including academic affiliation and email address. Proposals
may be sent by email to [log in to unmask] or regular mail to Keith
Hampson, Department of Sociology, A-809, Ryerson Polytechnic University,
350 Victoria Street, Toronto ON Canada M5B 2K3 and must arrive by noon,
local time, Wednesday December 1, 1999. WE WILL NOT ACCEPT PROPOSALS BY
FAX. Notification of acceptance will be sent by December 31, 1999.
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Screen-L is sponsored by the Telecommunication & Film Dept., the
University of Alabama: http://www.tcf.ua.edu